The Sand Pebbles Page #5

It never has.

Yes, sir.

Here's a message, sir.

- Full speed ahead.

- Full speed ahead.

Full speed ahead.

Tell the captain she won't

take no more turns.

Holman, why aren't we

up to full speed?

She won't take

no more turns, sir.

We're under orders

to reach Changsha on the double.

She ain't gonna make it.

We've never had

to stop before.

Im just telling you.

That's right.

Tell the captain

we must stop and secure.

As soon as we get the L.P. up at the top,

we'll lock in the jacking gear. That'll hold it.

- A lot of slack in that damn thing, Jake.

- It sure as hell-

Okay, lock it in.

Jacking gear in.

Give me the wrench.

My takee wrench.

My takee wrench.

Okay, Chien.

Hammer.

- Watch it!

- The damn jacking gear gave way!

- Get Jennings down here!

- Aye, aye.

Floor plate down! If you pull him

through there, you'll tear him to pieces.

Frenchy.

Drain valves open?

Frenchy...

don't let no steam build up.

All right, come on.

Up! Out! Come on.

Easy, easy.

Jennings, grab his hands.

Easy.

Easy now.

Okay.

- Slow engine.

- Slow engine.

Stand by all lines!

Get cleaned up.

The captain's waiting for you.

A man has been killed on this ship

for the first time, Holman. I want to know why.

One of the keys in the jacking gear

that holds the crank jarred out, sir.

- Why?

- Vibration.

- Why the vibration?

- Because of the bearing knock, sir.

I guess one of them keys

has been missing for a long time...

and the other was just

being held in by rust.

Can you fix any personal

responsibility for this?

- For the jacking gear, sir?

- For the accident, Holman.

If there hadn't have been a knock in the L.P.,

there wouldn't have been vibrations.

Chien handled the overhaul.

He should have fixed it, sir.

Are you saying

that Chien killed himself?

I'll remind you that he worked

under supervision.

Can't supervise an overhaul and stand

deck watches at the same time, sir.

Black gangs should stand their

watches in the engine room, sir.

Lop Eye Shing, the number one coolie,

says that you killed Chien.

You threw the engine

in some mysterious way.

Now, that may be superstition,

but it's very real to them.

Your resentment of Chien

was well known.

The system you got on this ship

is what killed him, sir.

Holman, you will immediately train

a new coolie to take Chien's place.

Give it your full time. That's all.

Sir, they ain't got the brains

to learn about that engine.

- They operate it efficiently enough.

- It's all monkey-see, monkey-do.

They don't know what's happening

with that engine.

It's not necessary they should.

If you let me run that engine room

the way I'm supposed to, sir...

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